McClain's power rankings: Week 13

1. Seahawks (10-1): Seattle leads NFL in player suspensions for substance abuse, but if it beats Saints, it'll still be top-ranked team. LW: 3.2. Saints (9-2): Drew Brees faces Seattle sec-ondary missing its 2nd and 3rd CBs, but Russell Wilson hasn't lost at home in 2 seasons. LW: 4.3. Patriots (8-3): Patriots' reward for OT victory over Broncos is an easy game against Texans, the worst team in the league. LW: 6.

4. Broncos (9-2): If the Broncos rebound from loss at New England and sweep Chiefs, they'll have 2-game lead atop AFC West. LW: 1.5. Chiefs (9-2): Chiefs have lost back-to-back games and face Broncos and Peyton Manning with their best pass rushers wounded. LW: 2.6. Panthers (8-3): Gave up 16 points to Miami, which became first opponent to top 15 during Carolina's 6-game win streak. LW: 5.

10. Eagles (6-5): Coach Chip Kelly didn't surprise anyone by finally naming Nick Foles his starting QB for remainder of the season. LW: 11.11. Colts (7-4): Injuries and ineffective play are starting to catch up to Colts, who are fortunate to play in such a rotten division. LW: 8.12. Cowboys (6-5): After win over Giants, Dallas should coast to 7-5 record with easy Thanksgiving conquest of Oakland. LW: 14.13. Bears (6-5): When Bears got clobbered by St. Louis on Sunday, they blew chance to build 1-game lead over Detroit in NFC North. LW: 9.14. Lions (6-5): By losing to Tampa Bay, their 2nd straight defeat, Lions wasted opportunity to gain sole possession of first place. LW: 12.15. Rams (5-6): Since journeyman QB Kellen Clemens replaced injured Sam Bradford, Rams have been scoring a lot and winning. LW: 18.

17. Ravens (5-6): Joe Flacco has thrown more picks and suffered more sacks than last year, but they're in running for wild card. LW: 21.18. Chargers (5-6): If Philip Rivers keeps excel- ling as he did at K.C., Chargers capable of beat-ing anyone at home, including Cincy. LW: 24.19. Titans (5-6): If playoffs started today, the Titans would win the tiebreaker for the last wild card. They're desperate to win at Indiy. LW: 26.

20. Packers (5-5-1): The last time Matt Flynn started a game at QB for the Packers, he threw 6 touchdown passes against Detroit. LW: 19.21. N.Y. Giants (4-7): 4-game win streak ended with loss to Dallas. Cowboys swept the series. Now the Giants visit Washington. LW: 17.22. Dolphins (5-6): 4-point loss to Carolina kept Dolphins from owning last wild-card spot. They hope to extend Jets' skid to 3. LW: 16.23. N.Y. Jets (5-6): QB Geno Smith has been horrendous in back-to-back losses, and they're desperate to beat Miami at home. LW: 15.24. Buccaneers (3-8): Bucs have won 3 in a row after 1-point loss at Seattle, and few are talking about Greg Schiano being fired. LW: 27.

25. Bills (4-7): Buffalo plays home game in Toronto vs. Atlanta, one of league's biggest disappointments along with Texans. LW: 23.26. Browns (4-7): Brandon Weeden is back at QB for the 2nd time. It's the 4th change they've made at position since season began. LW: 22.

27. Raiders (4-7): Losing at home to Titans ruined what little momentum they'd generated. Now they go to Dallas for Thanksgiving. LW: 25.

28. Redskins (3-8): They've gone from first to worst in NFC East. Now it's time to give RG3 a break and Kirk Cousins a shot to start. LW: 28.29. Vikings (2-8-1): After blowing big lead and tying Packers, the Vikings have an opportunity to hand Chicago its 6th defeat. LW: 29.30. Jaguars (2-9): With their upset victory over the Texans, the Jaguars escaped the league's cellar for the first time this season. LW: 32.

31. Falcons (2-9): Last season, Atlanta had a 13-3 record and home-field edge in playoffs. Now it's competing for top pick in draft. LW: 31.32. Texans (2-9): By falling to Jacksonville for 9th consecutive loss, Texans earn dubious distinction of being NFL's worst team. LW: 30.

John McClain, a Waco native who graduated from Baylor in 1975, is in his 43rd year at the Houston Chronicle and his 40th covering the National Football League, including the Oilers and Texans. He worked for the Waco Tribune Herald from 1973-76, when he accepted a job with the Chronicle. to cover the original Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association.

McClain has a plaque in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio as the 2006 winner of the Dick McCann Memorial Award presented annually by the Pro Football Writers of America to a writer for his long and distinguished coverage of the NFL. He is past president of the Pro Football Writers of America.

He's a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

In 2015, he was named as a Gridiron Legend in Texas, becoming the third member of the media behind Dave Campbell and Mickey Herskowitz.

McClain can be heard six times a week on the Texans' flagship station Sports Radio 610 in Houston. He also does weekly sports talk shows in Nashville, Knoxville, Waco, Austin and San Antonio.

McClain also has appeared in eight movies: The Rookie, The Longest Yard, Spring Breakers, Secretariat, Invincible, Cook County, The Game Plan and Make It Rain.

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